MILLVILLE – In its continued focus on dilapidated and abandoned buildings in the city, commissioners approved amendments to permit and inspection code ordinances.

The codes affected by the unanimously approved city ordinance pertains to dangerous, damaged and unfit structures, nuisance properties, residential rental properties, official map and numbering of buildings and lots, and foreclosure properties.

“It is not changing the basic content of the regulations of enforcement,” said Commissioner Dale Finch, director of public works.

Instead, the ordinance is further explaining each category defining a damaged structure and what statutes the city has to enforce issues.

“It’s just clarifying it for the inspectors and also those that are in violation – so they can see firsthand what exactly are those violations,” Finch said.

Millville has the authority to repair or demolish buildings that are damaged to the extent that nothing remains but the walls and other supports, according to the ordinance, even if the remaining walls and supports are declared safe.

These nuisance properties are defined as ones that affect the public health, safety, and welfare by being an attractive nuisance to children that can be injured or killed while playing in them, being a haven for criminal activity, undermining property value or representing a fire hazard.

The city itself has been focusing on the demolition of unsafe properties recently, in order to clean up the city.

“We’re being proactive and trying to do what we can do with our guidelines and regulations,” Finch said.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the commission also approved an advertisement for nuisance property hearings. The Sept. 24 hearings regard six nuisance properties that could be demolished.

In addition, the commission passed an ordinance on first reading that will change the times vehicles are prohibited from parking during street cleanups.

Street sweepers went over the routes that they take through the city, according to Finch, and found a way to reduce the time that cars are not allowed in the streets.

The ordinance also expands the street sweeping program by 15 more miles.

“It’s very much improved, it’s more refined and more efficient,” Finch said.

New signage will be installed by the city with the amended times and days of the week, if the ordinance passes its second reading on Sept. 17.

“It should be a good program to help us clean up our streets in Millville,” Finch said.